Condensate guiding system and steam cooker including the same

ABSTRACT

Provided are a condensate guiding system and a steam cooker including such a condensate guiding system. The condensate guiding system may include a condensate collector and a condensate guide. The condensate collector may collect condensate formed from steam included in air discharged from the cooking chamber. Condensate that flows along an inner surface of the steam cooker, and that is discharged out of the steam cooker, may be guided to the condensate collector by the condensate guide.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to KoreanApplication No. 10-2011-0072667 filed in Korea on Jul. 21, 2011, whoseentire disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This relates to a steam cooker.

2. Background

Cookers may cook food using heat generated from electricity or gas.Cookers may supply steam to food to compensate for moisture loss due toevaporation during cooking. Such a steam cooker may supply steam into acooking chamber for cooking food. This steam may carry foreignsubstances, such as oil or moisture, from the cooking chamber to theoutside of the cooker, causing the exterior of the cooker and the roomin which it is installed to be contaminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer to likeelements wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooker according to an embodiment asbroadly described herein.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cooker shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a condensate collector of the cookershown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a condensate guide of the cooker shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an edge portion of thecooker shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a steam cooker 1 as embodied and broadlydescribed herein may include a cavity 100 in which a cooking chamber 101is provided for cooking food therein. The cavity 100 may include a topplate 110, a bottom plate 120, a rear plate 130, and two side plates140. The top and bottom plates 110 and 120 may respectively define topand bottom surfaces of the cavity 100, the rear plate 130 may define arear surface of the cavity 100, and the side plates 140 may define twoopposite side surfaces of the cavity 100. Accordingly, the cavity 100may have a substantially polyhedral shape with an open front face. Thetop and bottom plates 110 and 120 may substantially define the top andbottom surfaces of the cooking chamber 101, respectively, and the rearplate 130 and the side plates 140 may define the rear and side surfacesof the cooking chamber 101, respectively.

One of the side plates 140, for example, the right side plate 140 shownin FIG. 2, may include exhaust holes 141. Air, introduced together withmicrowaves into the cooking chamber 101 through an irradiation opening,may be discharged out of the cooking chamber 101 through the exhaustholes 141. One of the side plates 140, for example, the left side plate140 shown in FIG. 2, may include a steam injection hole through whichsteam generated by a steam generator 230 may be introduced into thecooking chamber 101.

A front plate 150 and a back plate 160 may be respectively positioned atthe front end and the rear surface of the cavity 100, with the innersurface of the front plate 150 fixed to the front ends of the top plate110, the bottom plate 120, and the side plates 140. A portion of thefront surface of the back plate 160 may be fixed to a portion of therear surface of the rear plate 130. The front plate 150 and the backplate 160 may horizontally and vertically extend to the outside of thecavity 100.

A back cover 170 may cover the back plate 160. An electric componentchamber may be provided, for example, between the back plate 160 and theback cover 170 to accommodate various electric components such as, forexample, a magnetron and a fan for cooling the electric components. Aportion of air moved by the cooling fan may be transferred to thecooking chamber 101, and may convey foreign substances and steam fromthe cooking chamber 101 to the outside thereof through the exhaust holes141.

An outer case 180 may cover the top plate 110 and the side plates 140 sothat the back cover 170 and the outer case 180 essentially define therear, top, and side appearances of the steam cooker 1. The outer case180 may include a top panel 181 and two side panels 183. The top panel181 may form the top external appearance of the steam cooker 1, and theside panels 183 may form the side external appearances of the steamcooker 1. The side panels 183, extending downward from the two oppositeends of the top panel 181, may be integrally formed with the top panel181.

Guide flanges 185 may be formed at lower ends of the side panels 183,for example, by bending a portion of the lower ends of the side panels183 to form a certain angle, for example, 90 degrees with respect to theside panels 183. The guide flanges 185 may be spaced a preset distancefrom a bottom surface of a base plate 190 on which the cavity 100 ispositioned. The guide flanges 185 may guide condensate, formed fromsteam contacting the inner surface of the side panels 183, to guidechannels 284 to be described later.

The base plate 190 may be fixed to the lower portion of the cavity 100and have a plate shape with a certain area. The top edge of the baseplate 190 may be fixed to the lower ends of the front plate 150, theback cover 170, and the outer case 180. An exhaust port 191 may beprovided in the base plate 190, spaced forward from the lower end of theback plate 160, to guide air, discharged through the exhaust holes 141,to the outside. The exhaust port 191 may also guide condensate, formedfrom steam included in the air discharged through the exhaust holes 141,to a condensate guide 280 having the guide channel 284 formed therein.Legs may be provided at the bottom corners of the base plate 190.

The base plate 190 may include a housing installation part 193 formedby, for example, an upwardly protruding portion of the base plate 190 infront of the exhaust port 191. A tank housing 240 may be installed onthe housing installation part 193. A through hole may be formed at therear end of the housing installation part 193.

A fixing flange 195 may be formed along the edge of the base plate 190.The fixing flange 195 may be formed by an upwardly bent portion of theedge of the base plate 190 such that the fixing flange 195 may contactcorresponding inner portions of the front plate 150, the back cover 170,and the outer case 180. Particularly, the fixing flange 195 may contactthe outer case 180 at, for example, the inner lower ends of the sidepanels 183. Coupling members (not shown), sequentially passing throughthe side panels 183 and the fixing flange 195, may fix the outer case180 and the base plate 190.

An upper heater 210 may be provided in an upper portion of the cookingchamber 101. The upper heater 210 may radiantly heat food in the cookingchamber 101. The upper heater 210 may be, for example, a sheath heater.

In certain embodiments, an additional heating source for cooking food inthe cooking chamber 101 may be disposed in the cavity 100. For example,a carbon heater may be provided in the upper portion of the chamber 101as an additional irradiation heating source. Alternatively, oradditionally, convection system may be disposed between the rear plate130 and the back plate 160 to circulate high temperature air within thecooking chamber 101. A lower heater may be provided in the lower portionof the cooking chamber 101.

The side plate 140 in which the exhaust holes 141 are formed, forexample, the right side plate 140 shown in FIG. 1, may be provided withan exhaust duct 220 to guide air discharged through the exhaust holes141, that is, air discharged from the cooking chamber 101 aftercirculating within the cooking chamber 101, to the exhaust port 191. Tothis end, the exhaust duct 220 may have a polyhedral shape with an openside portion and an open bottom, and may be provided on the side plate140 to cover the exhaust holes 141. Air discharged through the exhaustholes 141 may flow between the side plate 140 and the exhaust duct 220,and then, may be discharged through the open bottom of the exhaust duct220.

The side plate 140 opposite the side at which the exhaust duct 220 isprovided, for example the left side plate 140 shown in FIG. 2, may havethe steam generator 230 attached thereto. The steam generator 230 maygenerate steam to be supplied to the cooking chamber 101. The steamgenerator 230 may include, for example, a steam chamber 231 receivingwater and a steam heater 231 for heating the water received in the steamchamber 231 to generate steam.

The tank housing 240 may be disposed under the bottom central portion ofthe base plate 190, that is, under the housing installation part 193.The tank housing 240 may have a polyhedron shape with at least an openfront. For example, the tank housing 240 may have a hexahedron shapewith an open front and an open top such that the base plate 190 and thetank housing 240 define a certain space. A water supply tank 250 may beremovably inserted in the tank housing 240, substantially, in the spacedefined by the base plate 190 and the tank housing 240. The water to besupplied to the steam generator 230 may be stored in the water supplytank 250. A water supply pump 260 may be provided between the bottomplate 120 and the base plate 190 to pump the water from the water supplytank 250 to the steam generator 230.

A condensate collector 270 may be positioned under the front bottomsurface of the base plate 190 to collect condensate discharged along thefront surface of the cavity 100, that is, the front surface of the frontplate 150, or the inner surface of a door 290 that extends across theopen front face of the chamber 101. Referring to FIG. 3, the condensatecollector 270 may include a gate 271 and two collector parts 275. Thegate 271 may be disposed at a central portion of the condensatecollector 270, and the collector parts 275 may be disposed at the twoends of the condensate collector 270 on opposite sides of the gate 271.

The gate 271 may include a gate opening 272 through which the watersupply tank 250 may be removably inserted in the tank housing 240. Thecollector parts 275 may include collecting spaces 276 for collectingcondensate. Channel installation openings 277 may be formed in the rearsurfaces of the collector parts 275. The channel installation openings277 may be formed by, for example, cutting a portion of the rearsurfaces of the collector parts 275. A portion of the fronts of theguide channels 284 may be received in the channel installation openings277.

The condensate collector 270 may include coupling protrusions thatextend rearward from the rear surface of the condensate collector 270,for example, from the rear surfaces of the collector parts 275.

The condensate guide 280 may be positioned under the bottom side endsand rear end of the base plate 190 out of the tank housing 240 and thecondensate collector 270. The condensate guide 280 may guide condensateformed from steam included in air discharged through the exhaust holes141 to the outside of the cooking chamber 101. The condensate guide 280supports a portion of the base plate 190. Thus, the condensate guide 280may be referred to as a base supporter.

The condensate guide 280 may have an approximately polyhedron shape withan open top and an open front such that a horizontal cross-section hasan angled U shape to facilitate the installation of the tank housing 240and the water supply tank 250. Thus, the shape of the condensate guide280 may be varied with the shape and arrangement of the tank housing 240and the water supply tank 250. The condensate guide 280 may support theside ends and rear end of the base plate 190. The front surface of thecondensate guide 280 may contact the rear surface of the condensatecollector 270, or be spaced a certain distance therefrom.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, support ribs 281 may be provided on theinner top side of the condensate guide 280 to support the bottom surfaceof the base plate 190. Each support rib 281 may include an extension 282and a support 283. The extensions 282 may extend horizontally along theinner side surfaces of the condensate guider 280 and may be spaceddownward from the upper side ends of the condensate guide 280 by acertain distance. The supports 283 may extend upward from ends of theextensions 282 so that the upper ends of the supports 283 support thebottom surface of the base plate 190. The support ribs 281 may extendalong the longitudinal direction of the condensate guide 280 on bothupper inner side surfaces of the condensate guide 280. The supports 283may be inclined in a front lower direction thereof, overall, such thatthe front ends of the supports 283 are lower than the rear ends thereof.A portion of the front ends of the support ribs 281 may further extendto the front side of the condensate guide 280.

The guide channels 284 may be formed in both top sides of the condensateguide 280. Condensate flowing along the outer case 180, substantially,along the inner surfaces of the side panels 183, may be guided to thecondensate collector 270 by the guide channels 284. In more detail, aportion of steam included in air discharged through the exhaust holes141 to the outside of the cooking chamber 101 may be condensed on theinner surface of the outer case 180, substantially, on the innersurfaces of the side panels 183. Then, the condensed steam, that is,condensate, may flow down to the guide channels 284 and be guided to thecondensate collector 270 by the guide channels 284.

The guide channels 284 extend along the longitudinal direction of thecondensate guide 280 in both side ends of the condensate guide 280. Incertain embodiments, the guide channels 284 may be defined by both theside portions of the condensate guide 280 and the support ribs 281.Thus, a vertical cross-section the guide channel 284 may have an angledU shape with an open top. The guide channels 284 may be inclined in afront lower direction corresponding to the shape of the support ribs281, with the front ends of the guide channels 284 extending into thecollector parts 275, that is, into the collecting spaces 276. That is,the front ends of the guide channels 284 may be placed in the channelinstallation openings 277.

The condensate guide 280 may include air outlets 285 and 287. Air may bedischarged between the base plate 190 and the condensate guide 280through the air outlets 285 and 287. The air outlets 285 and 287 mayinclude a plurality of first air outlets 285 and a plurality of secondair outlets 287.

The first air outlets 285 may be formed by partially cutting the sideportions of the condensate guide 280. The first air outlets 285 may bevertically elongated and may include louvers 286 such that airdischarged through the first air outlets 285 may be guided rearward bythe louvers 286. The first air outlets 285 may be inclined with theupper ends thereof being disposed more forward than the lower endsthereof. Thus, air discharged through the first air outlets 285 andguided by the louvers 286 may obliquely flow to the rear upper side ofthe steam cooker 1.

The second air outlets 287 may be formed by partially cutting thesupport ribs 281, in particular, the supports 283. The lower ends of thesecond air outlets 287 may be spaced upward from the extensions 282.Since the second air outlets 287 are formed by partially cutting thesupport ribs 281, the support ribs 281 and the second air outlets 287may be alternately disposed along a single plate member.

Base fixing parts 288 may be provided on the condensate guide 280. Thebase fixing parts 288 may be formed by partially and backwardlyprotruding the condensate guide 280. The base fixing parts 288 may befixed to the base plate 190.

Coupling hooks 289 may be provided on the front surface of thecondensate guide 280. The coupling protrusions may be coupled to thecoupling hooks 289. Accordingly, the condensate collector 270 may beprevented from being accidentally removed from the condensate guide 280.Particularly, when the water supply tank 250 is inserted or removedthrough the gate opening 272, the condensate collector 270 may beprevented from being accidentally removed from the condensate guide 280.

The cooking chamber 101 may be selectively opened and closed by the door290. For example, the upper end of the door 290 may rotate about thelower end thereof in a pull-down manner to open and close the cookingchamber 101.

Hereinafter, operation of a steam cooker according to an embodiment willnow be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, when the steam cooker 1 is operated to cook food with steam,steam generated by the steam generator 230 is supplied into the cookingchamber 101. At this point, the upper heater 210 and/or the convectionsystem and/or the lower heater may be operated. In addition, the coolingfan may be operated to supply air into the cooking chamber 101. Thesteam supplied into the cooking chamber 101, and various foreignsubstances such as moisture and oil discharged from the food cookedwithin the cooking chamber 101, are carried to the outside of thecooking chamber 101 through the exhaust holes 141 by the air suppliedinto the cooking chamber 101.

The air discharged to the outside of the cooking chamber 101 is guideddownward by the exhaust duct 220, and is discharged to the space definedby the cavity 100, the base plate 190, and the outer case 180. Then, theair discharged to the space defined by the cavity 100, the base plate190, and the outer case 180 is discharged through the exhaust port 191to the space between the base plate 190 and the condensate guide 280.

Then, the air discharged to the space between the base plate 190 and thecondensate guide 280 is discharged through the first and second airoutlets 285 and 287 to the outside of the base plate 190 and thecondensate guide 280. At this point, the steam included in the airdischarged to the space between the base plate 190 and the condensateguide 280 may be discharged together with the air, or be condensed toremain as condensate in the condensate guide 280. The condensateremaining in the condensate guide 280 may be naturally evaporated by airflowing between the base plate 190 and the condensate guide 280 throughthe exhaust port 191 and the first and second air outlets 285 and 287.

In more detail, a portion of the steam included in the air dischargedthrough the exhaust holes 141 to the space defined by the cavity 100,the base plate 190, and the outer case 180 may contact the inner surfaceof the outer case 180, in particular, on the inner surfaces of the sidepanels 183, and be condensed. The steam condensed on the inner surfacesof the side panels 183, as condensate, flows down along the innersurfaces of the side panels 183 into the guide channels 284. Since theguide channels 284 are inclined in the front lower direction, thecondensate in the guide channels 284 flows to the condensate collector270.

As a result, the condensate formed from the steam contacting the innersurfaces of the side panels 183 is collected in a separate space, thatis, in the condensate collector 270, by the condensate guide 280,without being directly discharged to an outside thereof, such as a flooron which the steam cooker 1 is placed. Thus, contamination of a kitchencontaining the steam cooker 1 may be minimized.

According to embodiments as broadly described herein, the side portionof a condensate guide, and a support rib supporting a base plate maydefine a guide channel, and second air outlets may be formed bypartially cutting the support rib, which may essentially define asupport. However, the guide channel may be defined by the side portionof the condensate guide and a guide rib. In this case, the guide rib mayhave approximately the same height as that of the side portion of thecondensate guide. In addition, the support rib may be taller than theguide rib so as to support the base plate. Alternatively, support ribsmay be intermittently arranged on the upper end of the guide rib, andthe spaces between the support ribs may function as the second airoutlets.

According to embodiments as broadly described herein, condensate to bedischarged out of a steam cooker may be collected in a condensatecollector, without being directly discharged out of the cooker and onto,for example, a floor surface on which the steam cooker is positioned.Thus, the steam cooker may be used more cleanly.

Embodiments provide a condensate guiding system and a steam cookerincluding such a condensate guiding system.

In one embodiment, a condensate guiding system for a steam cooker mayinclude a cooking chamber for cooking food, a steam generator generatingsteam to be supplied into the cooking chamber, a condensate collectorcollecting condensate formed from steam included in air discharged fromthe cooking chamber, and a condensate guide provided such thatcondensate that flows along an inner surface of the steam cooker and isdischarged out of the steam cooker is guided to the condensatecollector.

In another embodiment, a steam cooker as broadly described herein mayinclude a cavity comprising a cooking chamber, an outer case covering atop and two opposite side portions of the cavity, a steam generatorgenerating steam to be supplied into the cooking chamber, a condensatecollector collecting condensate formed from the steam supplied into thecooking chamber, and a condensate guide positioned such that condensateformed from steam contacting an inner surface of the outer case isguided to the condensate collector.

In another embodiment, a steam cooker as broadly described herein mayinclude a cavity comprising a cooking chamber, an outer case covering atop and both side portions of the cavity, a base plate under the cavity,a steam generator generating steam to be supplied into the cookingchamber, a condensate collector comprising a collecting space in whichcondensate formed from the steam supplied into the cooking chamber iscollected, a condensate guide having guide channels formed therein suchthat condensate formed from steam contacting an inner surface of theouter case is guided to the collecting space, and a door selectivelyopening and closing the cooking chamber.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Theappearances of such phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within thepurview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, orcharacteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

1. A condensate guiding system for a steam cooker, the steam cookercomprising a cooking chamber and a steam generator that supplies steamto the cooking chamber, the condensate guiding system comprising: acondensate collector positioned proximate a lower end of the cookingchamber so as to collect condensate formed from steam included in airdischarged from the cooking chamber; and a condensate guide thatprovides for fluid communication between a wall surface of the steamcooker and the condensate collector so as to guide condensate flowingalong the wall surface of the steam cooker into the condensatecollector.
 2. The condensate guiding system of claim 1, wherein thecondensate guide comprises at least one guide channel formed thereinthat guides the condensate to the condensate collector.
 3. Thecondensate guiding system of claim 1, wherein the condensate guidecomprises at least one guide channel that is inclined downward towardthe condensate collector to guide the condensate to the condensatecollector.
 4. The condensate guiding system of claim 2, wherein the atleast one guide channel comprises at least one first guide channelextending along a first end of the condensate guide and at least onesecond guide channel extending along a second end of the condensateguide opposite the first end thereof, and wherein the at least one firstguide channel and at least one second guide channel guide condensatefrom respective wall surfaces of the steam cooker into first and secondcollection spaces formed in the condensate collector, respectively. 5.The condensate guiding system of claim 1, wherein the condensatecollector and condensate guide are disposed on a bottom surface of thesteam cooker.
 6. The condensate guiding system of claim 1, wherein thecondensate guide comprises at least one air outlet formed therein,wherein air that has circulated through the steam cooker and thenbetween a bottom surface of the steam cooker and the condensate guide isdischarged out of the steam cooker through the at least one air outlet.7. The condensate guiding system of claim 6, wherein the at least oneair outlet comprises: a first air outlet provided under a correspondingguide channel formed in the condensate guide for guiding the condensateto the condensate collector; and a second air outlet provided above thecorresponding guide channel.
 8. A steam cooker, comprising: a cavitycomprising a cooking chamber; an outer case covering a top and twoopposite lateral sides of the cavity; a steam generator that suppliessteam to the cooking chamber; a condensate collector in fluidcommunication with the cooking chamber so as to collect condensateformed from the steam supplied to the cooking chamber; and a condensateguide positioned so as to guide condensate formed from steam, dischargedfrom the cooking chamber and contacting an inner surface of the outercase, to the condensate collector.
 9. The steam cooker of claim 8,wherein the condensate guide is positioned at a rear of the condensatecollector.
 10. The steam cooker of claim 8, wherein the condensate guidecomprises at least one guide channel formed therein for guidingcondensate to the condensate collector.
 11. The steam cooker of claim10, wherein the at least one guide channel extends into at least onecorresponding collecting space formed in the condensate collector. 12.The steam cooker of claim 10, wherein the at least one guide channel isinclined downward at a preset angle toward at least one correspondingcollecting space formed in the condensate collector.
 13. A steam cooker,comprising: a cavity comprising a cooking chamber; a door thatselectively opens and closes the cooking chamber; an outer case coveringa top and two lateral sides of the cavity; a base plate provided underthe cavity; a steam generator that supplies steam to the cookingchamber; a condensate collector positioned adjacent to the cavity so asto collect condensate formed from the steam supplied to the cookingchamber, the condensate collector comprising at least one collectingspace in which the condensate is collected; and a condensate guidecoupled to the condensate collector, the condensate guide comprising atleast one guide channel formed therein so as to guide condensate formedfrom steam contacting an inner surface of the outer case to the at leastone collecting space formed in the condensate collector.
 14. The steamcooker of claim 13, wherein the condensate collector is positioned undera front portion of a bottom surface of the base plate, and thecondensate guide is positioned under the bottom surface of the baseplate, to a rear of the condensate collector.
 15. The steam cooker ofclaim 13, wherein the condensate collector is positioned correspondingto the door such that the at least one collecting space also collectscondensate formed from steam contacting an inner surface of the door.16. The steam cooker of claim 13, wherein the condensate guidecomprises: at least one support rib that extends upward so as to supportthe base plate; and at least one base fixing part that fixes thecondensate guide to the base plate.
 17. The steam cooker of claim 13,wherein the condensate guide comprises at least one support rib thatextends upward so as to support a bottom surface of the base plate, andwherein the at least one guide channel is defined by the at least onesupport rib and at least one of two opposite lateral sides of thecondensate guide.
 18. The steam cooker of claim 13, wherein the baseplate comprises an exhaust port which directs air discharged from thecooking chamber into a space formed between the base plate and thecondensate guide, and wherein the condensate guide comprises a pluralityof air outlets through which the air discharged into the space formedbetween the base plate and the condensate guide is discharged out of thecondensate guide.
 19. The steam cooker of claim 18, wherein theplurality of air outlets are provided in two opposite lateral sides ofthe condensate guide.
 20. The steam cooker of claim 18, wherein thecondensate guide comprises at least one support rib that extends upwardto support a bottom surface of the base plate, and wherein at least oneof the plurality of air outlets is formed by a cutaway portion of thesupport rib.